


brewed awakening

by kongniverse



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Comedy, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-25 13:42:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9823091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kongniverse/pseuds/kongniverse
Summary: Jaehwan has the hots for the cutest (and snarkiest) barista in town.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello! my love for kenbin has finally kicked my butt and made me write this. this is unbeta'd, so please dont mind the stupid errors. will be a lil slow in updating this because im . bad at time management and university is drilling my brain weh
> 
> kudos and comments will always be appreciated! ^^

10AM is too early for Hongbin to already be dealing with noisy customers who ask as if suddenly changing their milk from 2% fat to soy is the easiest thing to do (it is, but sometimes he’s just plain lazy). He doesn’t hate his job, no, because who doesn’t love free coffee when you’re a college student fighting off assignments left and right and trying to not fall asleep while chasing a deadline. No, Hongbin just hates the customers who come early in the morning that are just as annoyed as he is to be awake at the early hour of the day.

He’s thankful he only works morning shifts on Wednesdays and weekends cause his manager(s) bitch about the work hour rush every Monday morning. Taekwoon, the de jure coffee shop manager and Hakyeon, the de facto coffee shop manager, are both working with him today. Hakyeon isn’t necessarily one of the managers but he has a say on what flavour of muffins they get to sell.

“Hongbin-ah, two Americanos and one vanilla latte,” orders Hakyeon as he gives the change back to the customers and gives a flirty wink at Taekwoon who happens to walk pass him.

It’s a public secret that everyone at the coffee shop knows that Hakyeon is Taekwoon’s crush, though neither have ever expressively stated their interest in the other. But Hongbin thinks it’s cute when he sees the two standing side by side, enjoying each other’s company as they wash their cups and mugs after the shop has been closed for the day.

“Got it!” Hongbin yells back and he gets to work straight away. He loves making coffee, he loves seeing people enjoy drinking the coffee that he makes and there are times where he’ll watch a customer take their first sips of a coffee that he just freshly delivered to see the expression on their faces.

“Ah, your favorite person is here.” Taekwoon smirks as he works beside Hongbin to complete another order that Hakyeon just gave him. Hongbin doesn’t know what Taekwoon is talking about until he peeps over the huge coffee machine and accidentally gets frothed milk on his hand. He winces and Hakyeon shoots them both a glare from the cash register.

From the corner of his eye, Hongbin watches as his alleged ‘favourite person’ walks up to the cash register and is greeted ever so kindly by Hakyeon.

“Stop staring, Hongbinnie” the older teases and Hongbin turns his head around so fast.

“I wasn’t staring!” he hisses and Taekwoon only chuckles back at him.

“Hongbin!” Hakyeon calls for him and saunters over, Hongbin doesn’t reply fast enough before Hakyeon is sticking an order note to his forehead and takes a step back. “One latte and you go deliver that to your boyfriend. Usual seat.”

 _Boyfriend_ , Hongbin bitterly repeats over and over in his head, rolling his eyes so far back into his head. His hyungs are always out to tease him every chance they get because the moment Sanghyuk, one of the other employees who everyone fears for their life, comes in for his shift, they’re the ones who get bullied.

This person, who Hakyeon and Taekwoon always tease Hongbin about, comes in at the same time on every day that Hongbin conveniently has a shift on and orders the exact same thing and sits at the exact same spot and it _irritates_ Hongbin.

He’s not necessarily a bad guy, no, Hongbin’s seen him around campus before and he’s what people call the life of a party, a person who naturally clicks with everyone, someone with good social skills which Hongbin feels like he lacks despite his job in customer service.

Taekwoon finishes up the orders and sets it on the tray for Hongbin to deliver. He doesn’t know why he’s still nervous about delivering orders to people. He’s scared of one day spilling it all over them or dropping it and breaking it because sometimes his hands do shake a lot when he’s nervous. Hakyeon noticed it first and always tells him to not walk in such a rush with a reassuring smile and an embarrassing story of Sanghyuk who did the exact same thing a few months ago, like the good hyung and colleague he is.

“You’re here again” says Hongbin when he stops to put down the coffee on the table.

“Of course, I wanted to get some coffee made by the most gorgeous barista in town.” Hongbin gags.

“Cheesy” Hongbin feels his cheek burn no matter how hard he’s trying to play it cool. “But Taekwoonie hyung made that, not me.”

“Ah, but you delivered it to me” he winks at Hongbin and Hongbin blushes a worrying shade of red.

“If there weren’t a room full of people here, this tray will become acquainted with your face—”

“I’d rather your lips become acquainted with my face” he smiles sweetly at Hongbin and before Hongbin can deliver another threat hissed between gritted teeth, Hakyeon calls him over for another order and he excuses himself. Not before the other male lets out a small “damn” as Hongbin turns around and he’s aware of the eyes glued to his ass. Stupid Hakyeon and his stupid slim fit pants as uniform rule.

“God I hate him” Hongbin says the moment he’s behind the counter beside Hakyeon. Hakyeon doesn’t look up from the coffee beans he’s roasting.

“But Jaehwannie totally likes you though.”

“He just said “damn” at my ass when I turned around, hyung. How is that even remotely romantic?” complains Hongbin while fixing his apron.

Hakyeon suddenly takes a step back and Hongbin wonders what could’ve suddenly caught Hakyeon’s attention.

“Well, he’s not wrong, you do have a _really_ nice ass. Sanghyuk even says so,” Hakyeon replies and Hongbin goes to cover his butt with his hands and looks like he’s about to strangle Hakyeon.

“Wait what—do you all just stare at my ass here?!”

“Kind of hard not to” Hakyeon answers monotonously and continues to roast the coffee beans.

“God, I hate everyone here” groans Hongbin before getting back to work on the next order.

\--

“Good morning beautiful” greets Jaehwan the next morning and it catches Hongbin off guard at the cash register when he’s busy zoning out on the menu written on the chalkboard outside.

“God” Hongbin grunts. “You, you surprised me.”

“Shouldn’t be zoning out on the job there, Hongbinnie”

“Yeah whatever. Can I take your order?” asks Hongbin. He knows Jaehwan’s order off by heart, he doesn’t even know why he bothers asking.

“Can I order your phone number written cutely on a piece of napkin for me?” Ah there it is. Cheesy pick up lines that makes Hongbin want to die from both embarrassment and annoyance.

“Latte it is then.” Hongbin replies coldly and Jaehwan hands over his money to pay. Hakyeon walks into the coffee shop a few moments later with a handful of groceries and Taekwoon in tow with a box of freshly picked up fruits.

“Oh, Jaehwannie” Hakyeon greets. “Right here on time.”

“What’s with all the fruit, hyung?” Hongbin asks, closing the cash register and he gets ready to make Jaehwan’s order. Jaehwan takes his usual seat by the window but turns his body around to face the counter.

The coffee shop is currently empty aside from Jaehwan. No one really wakes up before 10AM on a Saturday and in winter except for Jaehwan and his need to constantly annoy and hit on Hongbin with his bright smiley smile and funny jokes that Hongbin admits are kind of funny but pretends like he isn’t holding back a snort so it wont give Jaehwan the satisfaction.

“Taekwoonie got creative last night and made this really nice peach cobbler, so we decided to sell it as a special menu today” replies Hakyeon happily, skipping towards the supply room leaving Taekwoon to lug the heavy box of fruit on his own. “You better have a taste of it when it’s done okay, Jaehwanie? Hongbinnie?”

“Okay hyung” Jaehwan and Hongbin reply simultaneously and Hakyeon gives a mini cheer before disappearing to the back along with Taekwoon.

“They’re cute, are they still not dating?” Jaehwan asks when Hongbin comes over to bring his coffee for him.

“No, but Sanghyuk, Wonshik and I have a running bet on how long it’ll take them to get together.”

“How long is your bet?”

“Around another three more months?” Hongbin raises his eyebrow, trying to remember the exact number he betted with. “Sanghyuk and Wonshik’s bet will expire by the end of this month. That’s why they’re trying their best to just stick them together. They even locked the two hyungs together in the freezer room, can you believe that?” He laughs lightly.

“Ah yeah,” Jaehwan replies after a moment of spacing out on Hongbin’s face. “Classic Sanghyukkie. By the way—”

“No I will not go out on a date with you, Jaehwan hyung.” Hongbin rejects coldly and crosses his arm over his chest.

“Wow,” Jaehwan gasps and pretends he’s surrpised and not act like Hongbin has rejected the 300 something times he’s asked him to go out on a date with him. “First of all, cold. I love the way you play so hard to get.” Hongbin grunts in disgust. “Second, I was just gonna ask if there’s any muffins.”

“You never buy muffins here.” 

“Darn. Caught again.” Jaehwan pouts and Hongbin smacks the tray playfully to the top of Jaehwan’s head before hurrying along to the cash register to serve the customers that just walked in.

\--

“Your boy toy is here today” Wonshik says to Hongbin when he comes out to front counter with a freshly baked batch of banana bread. “Whoa, those smell nice.” Hongbin smacks Wonshik’s sneaky hand away.

“Pay if you want one.”

“I’m an employee here!” Wonshik protests but Hongbin ignores him as he continues to pester Hongbin about using his employee discount. He slides open the glass door to the baked goods display and refills the banana bread tray.

“Did you already serve Jaehwan hyung?” Hongbin asks to cut off Wonshik’s further whining.

“Yeah, he’s with someone today though. Surprising since he always comes here on his own.”

“What?!” Hongbin shouts but ends up hitting his head on the top of the baked goods display and he winces.

“He’s not by himself. Ah, are you okay?”

“Yes, yes I’m fine” Hongbin squats down on the floor and rubs the back of his head to soothe the pain. Wonshik joins him squatting down on the floor and they both whisper.

“Are you jealous?” Wonshik whispers and it feels like they’re at an elementary school sleepover with the hushed secrets, whispers on who likes who and what rebellious thing they did today that their mothers specificially prohibited.

“No, no no no, why would I be jealous?” Hongbin hisses back at Wonshik and swats his hand at the older’s arm. Sanghyuk walks out of the kitchen in search for Hongbin who’s needed to deliver another freshly baked batch of pasty but spots Wonshik and Hongbin squatting and whispering behind the counter and immediately joins them instead.

“What are we whispering about?” Sanghyuk whispers when he joins his two hyungs and Wonshik is startled by Sanghyuk suddenly appearing and loses his footing, falling over backwards in an ungraceful heap and bangs the back of his head against the counter.

“Go away!” Hongbin hisses, hands gesturing for both Wonshik and Sanghyuk to shoo.

“What are you three doing?” Hakyeon catches the three of them huddled together behind the counter and they all visibly pale and freeze in their spots. “Get back to work.”

“No, hyung, come here first” Wonshik gestures his hand to Hakyeon to join them in their squatting behind the counter circle. “Hongbinnie is jealous.” They’ve never seen Hakyeon move that fast before.

“Who? Who is he jealous of?” Hakyeon whispers to his dongsaengs.

“I told you I’m not jealous!” Hongbin hisses again. Sanghyuk is still at loss since he’s been in the kitchen for most of his shift helping Taekwoon making baked goods and he stands up to look over the counter to take a quick scan of the shop.

“Who’s Jaehwannie hyung with?” Sanghyuk asks the three hyungs beneath him and he feels three pairs of hands grab at his apron to pull him back down on the floor.

“Hyukkie be quiet!” Hakyeon shushes and Sanghyuk is, by an intellectual guess, up to speed on what his gossiping hyungs are on about.

“Maybe he’s on a date cause he’s so tired of being rejected by Binnie” Wonshik suggests, giving up on squatting and just sitting on their pastry crumb filled floor.

“See Hongbinnie! This is why I told you to agree to go on a date with the man!”

“What? Why are you blaming me?!” Hongbin complaines and their endless blaming and accussation start.

Sanghyuk peeks over the counter just slightly to get a better look at Jaehwan’s table. He’s sitting in his usual spot with a girl with long honey brown hair across from him and he can see that Jaehwan is laughing, probably at some dumb joke he tells Sanghyuk too sometimes but who he’s sitting with, he’s desperate for the girl to just turn around so he can get a proper glance at her face.

“Dammit turn around” Sanghyuk mumbles into the counter.

A displeased and annoyed Taekwoon with streaks of flour all over his cheek emerges from the kitchen with a tray of unbaked cookie dough and the four of them locked eyes with Taekwoon, Taekwoon who has been slaving away all day in that hot kitchen making baked goods.

“A-ah, yes, go back to work you lot!” Hakyeon pretends to scold and hurries to get up to help Taekwoon in the kitchen before the coffee house turns into a slaughter house.

Sanghyuk goes back to the kitchen too to help out and Wonshik and Hongbin straighten their aprons to start serving the customers that just arrived. By the time Hongbin has stood up and dusted off his pants and fixed his hair, Jaehwan’s table is empty, and he grabs the tray from the tray spot and starts to clear up the table.

\--

Hongbin’s sick in bed with a cold the next day because some dumbass left the window open overnight (he did) and calls into work with Hakyeon nagging him on why he should always dry his hair before he sleeps and sleep with socks on in the winter. He lays in bed all helpless, floor and trashbin overflowing with his snot filled tissues and he’s sort of glad, sort of miserable. He didn’t want to see Jaehwan after yesterday, so on that counterpart he’s relieved. But he can’t do anything without wanting to die every five seconds and Chanshik, his roommate, has been nothing but kind to him and brings him nice food from Hongbin’s favourite takeout place.

\--

“Are you feeling better?” Hakyeon asks him when he comes into work the following Tuesday morning. “See, this is why you stay warm in the winter and—”

“I’m fine hyung” Hongbin assures him and starts to count the change in the cash register. “I slept and now I feel as good as new. See.”

“Jaehwannie asked where you were” Hakyeon says next, fingers sorting through the packets of coffee beans. Hongbin froze for a second because he’s been trying to not think of Jaehwan and that girl in the coffee house for the last few days.

“And? Why does he care?”

“He told me to tell you to get better soon and to rest and eat properly and to take care of yourself cause it’s winter and it’s cold” says Hakyeon, ignoring Hongbin’s clear hard trying ignorance.

“That’s... nice” Hongbin replies a little quieter. He’s lost count of the coins in his hands because in his mind he can imagine the exact way Jaehwan would say it.

Hakyeon smiles a wicked grin at him and before Hongbin can question it, the first customer arrives and Hongbin is ushered to the cashier and goes back into work mode.

\--

“Finals week is soon” Wonshik whines as he rests his head onto the table. Hongbin is too immersed in watching the rain outside.

“I know. Don’t remind me” Hongbin in front of him gives a displeased sigh. It’s 10PM and near closing time of the coffee shop and they’re enjoying the emptiness of the shop to sit down after a rather busy evening and enjoying a cup of tea that Hakyeon made for them with some leftover pastries.

“I’m heading home now, hyung” Sanghyuk peeks from the door, already changed back into his casual clothes and ready to say his goodbyes. Both Wonshik and Hongbin give him a wave goodbye from the table.

“Bye Hyukkie” Hakyeon answers and gives Sanghyuk a box of the leftover pastries. “See you tomorrow. Do you have an umbrella with you?”

“Yes hyung~” answers Sanghyuk before he disappears out the door. 

Taekwoon finishes up in the kitchen and comes out wiping his wet hands on his apron to do a check of the front counter and the shop. The chairs are all put up, the money from today all counted and recorded by Hakyeon, the cups and plates are all washed, and what’s left is they’re ready to lock up and go home.

“I’m sorry, we’re closed” Hakyeon says when he hears the bell of the coffee shop door ring as it’s being opened and closed.

“Jaehwan hyung?” Hongbin is the first one to speak up. Wonshik looks up to the general direction of where Hongbin is looking and so does Hakyeon and there’s Jaehwan, drenched from the rain outside, brown hair plastered to his forehead and clothes clinging to his body.

“Oh my” gasps Hakyeon and runs to back room to grab towels and tells Taekwoon to crosscheck the finance book for him.

“Hi Hongbinnie” says Jaehwan, his teeth clattering today from how cold he is and his usually pink lips are paler than usual. “So I forgot an umbrella today.”

Hongbin steers Jaehwan to sit down in his seat across from Wonshik and tells him to hold the cup of tea to warm his hand. Hakyeon comes back with towels and Hongbin takes one from Hakyeon’s hand and wraps it around Jaehwan immediately.

“You’re going to get sick” Hongbin says, a little annoyed.

“I’ll be fine, you’re so cute when you worry for me” Jaehwan teases as he shrugs off his coat to drape over the chair. Hongbin blushes a deep shade of red and Wonshik has the most ridiculous smirk painted on his face.

“I’m not worrying about you. You just tracked dirt onto our floor” replies Hongbin trying to look away from Jaehwan who’s looking up at him like a cute drenched puppy. “ _You_ worried about me when I was sick. Hakyeon hyung told me.”

“Yeah and?” Jaehwan replies, raising a perfect brow at him. “You don’t want me to worry about you anymore Hongbinnie?” No, _no_ , he does not want that.

“That’s n-not what I was trying to say I—”

“Hongbin-ah, why don’t you go and make another cup of tea for Jaehwanie?” Hakyeon saves his ass from dying of embarassment. “Seems like yours has gone cold. Grab some of the leftover pastries too while you’re at it okay?”

Taekwoon comes over with some spare clothes for Jaehwan since he said he’s fine going home in just his work uniform today and Wonshik stays behind to chat with Jaehwan until the rain starts to lighten and he’s trying to fight off how sleepy he feels and Jaehwan appreciates Wonshik’s company.

“Here you go” Hongbin places the cup of hot tea in front of Jaehwan along with a couple of leftover danishs.

“Thank you, Hongbinnie”

Wonshik tells Hongbin to take his seat since he wants to get changed out of his sweaty work uniform and Hakyeon suddenly has a stomachache and Taekwoon who was busy snacking away on an opera cake behind the cash register gets dragged to the back room forcibly. Stupid hyungs, Hongbin caught on pretty quickly that they’re purposely leaving Jaehwan and Hongbin together alone.

“So.. how are things?” Hongbin tries to make conversation. This is one of the few conversations he’s having with Jaehwan that didn’t involve Jaehwan making some kind of cheesy pickup line and Hongbin threatening to punch him for it.

“Good, finals week is soon” Jaehwan replies, fork busy working through the layers of pastry.

“Ugh don’t remind me” Hongbin says, resting his chin on his hands. “And you’re graduating soon, right?”

Jaehwan coughs as he swallows his food and laugh. “Don’t remind me on that too, Hongbinnie.”

“Well aren’t we both just a pair of deniers then” Hongbin jokes and Jaehwan laughs along.

“You’re the biggest denier, Hongbinnie” Jaehwan pouts the way he usually does when he’s messing around with Hongbin. “Denying me from having a date with you 1000 times now.”

“Hey! That’s exaggeration!” Hongbin protests. “I only rejected you 100 times!”

“Sure sure, 1000 and 100, you still reject me anyway” he pouts. “I’m what the girls say ‘boyfriend material’. You’re missing out on having me as your boyfriend.” and Hongbin snorts.

“Okay Mr. Boyfriend Material” Hongbin wheezes and Jaehwan’s cute protests only make Hongbin laugh even harder. “Don’t you have a girlfriend anyway? The one you were here with last week.” There it is. Hongbin’s mouth slips out the one question he’s been dying to ask.

“Me? Oh her!” Jaehwan perks up. “She’s my friend from high school. She was in the city for the weekend and asked if I wanted to meet up for coffee. Why do you ask?”

Well this is embarrassing, for Hongbin’s part because he’s done trying to convince himself that _Jaehwan has a girlfriend, Jaehwan has a girlfriend, Jaehwan has a girlfriend and is on a date with her right in front of his eyes_.

“Nothing, I was just wondering since you always come in here like the lone loser you are.”

“Aww” Jaehwan coos and goes to pinch Hongbin’s cheek. “Were you jealous? Don’t worry, the special place in my heart has always been reserved by you.”

“Disgusting” Hongbin replies and they’re back to their usual dynamic. The rain outside has stopped pouring and Jaehwan is dry enough to go back outside without catching a horrible cold. Hakyeon and Taekwoon come out after Hakyeon’s awful acting of saying his stomachache has finally been relieved and Wonshik is changed and packed with his backpack already hanging over his shoulder.

He thought by the time he’s finished changing back into his casual clothes and turned off all of the lights at the shop and locked up, everyone had been long gone but Jaehwan is standing outside the shop, leaning against the window with one of the spare umbrellas that Hakyeon always keeps in the back, lazily scrolling down his phone screen.

“Aren’t you going home?” Hongbin says, shivering as he nuzzles more into the thick scarf that’s wrapped around his neck trying to get more warmth. He hates the bone chilling wind the most.

“I am. I was just waiting for you.” He replies. “Shall we get going?”

“What?” Hongbin asks in confusion. Does Jaehwan want to come home with him?

“Let me walk you back to your apartment.”

“But hyung, you live in the other direction and plus, I’m fine I walk home alone all the time it’s not that far.”

“Hongbinnie” Jaehwan protests. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Seriously?” Hongbin cocks his eyebrow. “I’m a 181cm tall grown man, no one is going to kidnap me or whatever.”

“Fine I get your point” The older says. “But at least let me walk you back, as a thank you, for well, this. Tonight, I mean.”

“Fine” Hongbin replies in defeat and Jaehwan beams like a three year old who just got a bag of their favourite candy and it warms his heart, really. “Walk me back and show me this Mr. Boyfriend Material of yours so maybe I’ll agree to go on a date with you one day.” He blushes. Hard. Not even subtle and he wants to die from how corny he could’ve sound.

Their walk back takes fifteen minutes along with Jaehwan mimicking every dog bark he hears and it makes Hongbin laugh until tears start to well in his eyes. And before they know it they’re standing in front of Hongbin’s apartment building.

“Well, this is it” says Hongbin, gesturing to the building. “My apartment”

“Good night Hongbin” Jaehwan says, his voice softer and lower than usual and it makes Hongbin’s heart skip a beat. “Sleep well tonight.”

“Good bye hyung, don’t catch a cold.” Hongbin says back shyly and he watches Jaehwan make his way back towards the direction of his own home, waving good bye to Hongbin as he walks further and further away and Hongbin stays until Jaehwan’s figure can no longer be seen on the street.

\--

It’s safe to say that Hongbin is stressed. Stressed because of finals week is approaching, stressed because Taekwoon’s birthday is approaching and he has no idea what to get him and stressed at life in general because he’s not getting any younger. Both Hongbin and Wonshik got the week off work because off this massacre, Hakyeon had been kind enough to let them go.

“Wonshikkie, what are you reading?” Hongbin asks, finally looking up from his messy notes and thick textbooks.

“I’m not reading” Wonshik replies. “I’m contemplating in my head whether or not I can live without a college degree.”

“Don’t say that” pouts Hongbin. “We’re a year away from graduating, we can’t quit now”

“Damn. Should’ve quit earlier when I had the chance” Wonshik jokes. “Better tell Sanghyuk to escape while he can.”

Hongbin rolls his eyes and gets up from their position on the floor to grab more snacks in the kitchen. They’re at Hongbin’s apartment studying together—they always do when it’s exam week, have been since they first met when they were both clueless first years.

“Do you want something to drink?” Hongbin yells from the kitchen. “I have this tea that Hakyeon hyung bought for me when he went abroad. He says it’s supposed to be healing or something.”

“Can that tea also make me smart for a day?” Wonshik whines again and Hongbin only wishes that was the case.

“Sorry but no” replies Hongbin. Wonshik doesn’t reply back so Hongbin figures he’s probably dozed off after reading another musical theory that bore his mind half to death and starts the kettle.

“Jaehwan hyung waited for you the other day” says Wonshik when Hongbin comes back with two mugs of tea.

“I know. He walked me back to my apartment” Hongbin adds. His answer catches Wonshik’s attention and he tries his best to avoid any kind of eye contact.

“He walked you back home?” Wonshik questions him and suddenly they’ve both ignore the books and notes that are spread on the table in front of them. “And you didn’t tell me? Did anything happen?”

“We just walked home, Wonshik-ah, what did you expect to happen?” Hongbin says back, sounding a little annoyed.

“You coming to your senses maybe and just agree to go out on a date with him?”

“Over my dead body” Hongbin asserts and folds his arms over his chest. Wonshik only rolls his eyes and drops the topic, picking up the mug of tea and starting to blow on it till it’s a little cooler to drink.


	2. Chapter 2

Finals week ends with both Wonshik and Hongbin crawling back into the coffee shop for their shifts looking like they just escaped a battle zone. Battered. Damaged. Brain cells half fried. Hongbin mistakes the salt for sugar and nearly sends off a questionable cup of darjeeling tea.

“Hongbinnie plays hard to get doesn’t he?” Jaehwan whines when Sanghyuk comes over with his order.

“Hongbin hyung?” Sanghyuk raises his brow and looks back to where Hongbin is working diligently behind the coffee machine with Wonshik. “I don’t think so..? What makes you say that?”

“Look at him” The older whines even more and rests his head on top of the table. “He’s so friendly to everyone but sasses me out.”

“He gets paid to do that, hyung” Sanghyuk quickly replies. He really has a lot of orders to get back to but Jaehwan keeps looking at him like a kicked puppy, sulking from the apparent lack of affection he gets from Hongbin. “Plus, I’m kind of not the best person to talk about Hongbin hyung’s love life with”

“Don’t tell me you have a crush on him?” Jaehwan gasps scandalously.

“No!” Sanghyuk stutters, trying to cover himself with the tray in his hands. “I mean, had, but god that was when I first just started working here. He really is an attractive man.”

“Isn’t he just?” Jaehwan buries his face in his hands and wheezes. The two of them now watching Hongbin move around behind the counter, rolling the sleeves of his white dress shirt, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, and Jaehwan is so close to melt into one with the table, “God, he’s so cute.”

“Wow. Sappy” Sanghyuk sarcasses. “Most people just give up after Hongbin hyung rejects them three times.”

“My mother didn’t raise a quitter” The older replies and Sanghyuk only rolls his eyes in response and goes back to his work station before Hakyeon catches him slacking off.

\---

“Any plans for Saturday night?” Chansik asks Hongbin who’s buried underneath the blankets on the couch and watching TV. “Want to come to a party with me?”

“No, as usual, I have work” Hongbin replies to his roommate. “Also, party? What’s the occasion?”

“Sandeul hyung is throwing a party and I’ve finally run out of excuses to not go” Chansik replies as he makes a beeline to the fridge and quickly grabs a bottle of beer. “Lots of people are coming.”

“And?” questions Hongbin, raising a perfect brow at his roommate who plops himself onto the couch, squishing Hongbin just a little despite how skinny both of them are.

“Isn’t that Jaehwan person friends with Sandeul hyung?” Chansik smirks cheekily at Hongbin and nudges the bottle of beer until the cold glass is pressing against Hongbin’s cheek. “Maybe you’ll meet him there. Come on. Ask Wonshik to come too and that Sanghyuk kid.”

“No thanks” He declines flatly, settling even more into the couch. “You know my stance on parties.” He was having the time of his life, peace and quiet, watching TV while bundled up underneath warm blankets until Chansik came home and invaded his solitude.

“Oh come on” Chansik whines a little while pouting. “All you do outside of university is work and finals is over dude. Let’s take a breather.”

“Have you forgotten what happened the last time you went out to drink, Gong Chansik?”

Who could’ve forgotten when Hongbin was the one who had been violated at 2AM by an intoxicated Chansik, crawling into his bed and underneath his covers, mumbling about how much he values Hongbin and his friendship while also, not forgetting to give Hongbin a horrible yet impressive alcohol laced ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me’ karaoke performance.

“Please please _please_ come with me, Hongbinnie. You’ll have fun!” Chansik begs him. Hongbin has a much different definition of fun but he guesses he’s worked hard for the entire semester and since Chansik said he can bring Wonshik and Sanghyuk, he’ll try to ask the two when he’s at work tomorrow. Sanghyuk _did_ hint that he’s too sober for someone whos only 20 years old.

“Fine” Hongbin answers. “I’ll try to see if I can get Saturday off.” Chansik happily pulls him into a bear hug and accidentally spills the cold beer all over them both.

\---

Hakyeon all too easily agreed to let Hongbin, Wonshik and Sanghyuk take the night off on Saturday, somehow hinting along the lines of ‘try to have fun while you’re still young’ and ‘none of you better show up with a baby on Monday morning’. So Hongbin is currently sat on the couch, clad in a pair of black skinny jeans and a light blue dress shirt, it’s been a while since he’s gone out for something that isn’t work or university related.

The party is in an hour, just at one of the apartments nearby campus and Chansik is taking his sweet time getting ready while Hongbin was done half an hour ago and Wonshik and Sanghyuk texted saying that they’re on their way to Hongbin’s apartment. He figures he can play one Overwatch game in the time that he has to wait for everyone to actually be ready and leave.

“How do I look?” Chansik asks him as he comes out from the bathroom.

“Are you serious?” Hongbin scoffs as he eyes his friend from head to toe, wearing the exact same time he is wearing. “We’re matching. Go change. We’re not Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.”

“Why do I have to change?” Chansik whines and Hongbin only glares at him from the couch.

“Change because I got ready first. Go.”

Chansik grunts at him and retreats back to his bedroom to scavenge his closet. It’s not his fault that he shops for clothes at the exact same stores Hongbin does.

\---

When Hongbin arrives at the party, as expected, it’s crowded and lively. The small apartment already hot and reeking of cheap alcohol and it’s only 9PM, he almost regrets wearing skinny jeans already. Sanghyuk looks more excited than Hongbin was back when he attended his first college party and he warned the younger to not look like a deer caught in headlights when attending one of Sandeul’s parties—the prying eyes of the seniors on fresh new meat wanting to make Hongbin handcuff Sanghyuk to him so nothing weird happens to him.

“I think I see Sandeul hyung over there with your Jaehwan hyung” Chansik nudges at Hongbin, already handing Hongbin a cup of alcohol that he wasn’t even sure when Chansik had the time to grab because they had _just_ arrived at the scene. “I’m going to say hi to him. You, well, don’t let anyone weird hit on you again.”

Hongbin waves Chansik off, opting to just tag along with Wonshik and Sanghyuk who’s moving towards the drinks table. As Hongbin watches people grinding against each other, the spilled alcohol all over the floor, and the loud obnoxious music, he’s reminded once again on why he never attends these social events despite, according to Chansik, being the most popular guy on campus.

“Hyukkie, do you want to try some of my drink?” Wonshik hands over his cup to Sanghyuk who gladly agrees and drinks right away, soon coughing at the realization that Wonshik had been drinking a mixer of beer and vodka.

“What the fuck is this hyung?” Sanghyuk says in disgust, grabbing Hongbin’s cup out of his hand and drinking Hongbin’s drink, and then spitting it out on the floor too. “What the fuck—”

“Wine and coke.” Hongbin snatches his cup back from Sanghyuk’s hand. “God, you can’t even drink anything mixed let alone straight.”

Sanghyuk pouts. “Well, don’t you think as my hyungs you two have to teach me how to drink?”

Hongbin wants to laugh. Sure, Hongbin has a crazy high alcohol tolerance, but if he teaches Sanghyuk any kind of drinking, he’s sure that Sanghyuk will pass out before Hongbin can even be any level of buzzed. Wonshik on the other hand, is weaker than the coffee he brews. A man who passes out well after two slots of soju.

“I think I saw some soju somewhere, I’ll go and get that for you Hyukkie” says Wonshik before he goes and leaves the two.

“Wait, Wonshik hyung! I’ll go with you!” and Sanghyuk runs off to follow Wonshik leaving Hongbin all by himself, drinking his sad cup of wine mixed with coke. He finds an empty couch to sit on, definitely staying away from the couples who are making out and getting hot and heavy in a very public and open area for everyone to see.

It’s not like Hongbin doesn’t know anyone at the party. He knows Sandeul, said host of the party, who is Chansik’s unofficial crush but Chansik always denies the fact that he has a crush on Sandeul whenever Hongbin points it out. Sandeul’s group of friends who are co-hosts of the parties, Seokjin and Baro. He’s spotted people in his year, Kyungsoo who he pretty sure is one of Wonshik’s faculty friends along with the tall and broody Chinese exchange student, Zitao. And Jaehwan, who is currently making his way to where Hongbin is sitting.  

“Didn’t expect to see your gorgeous face at these kind of events” Jaehwan muses as he plops himself beside Hongbin on the couch, his thigh presses against Hongbin’s from how close they are squished together and he throws a casual arm against the back of the couch.

“Nice to see you too.” Hongbin replies blankly, fingers fidgeting with the flimsy edge of the paper cup.

“So what brings you here? Brought you a drink” Jaehwan hands over another cup to Hongbin and Hongbin is now sitting there with two cups of alcohol in his hands, looking like the ultimate alcoholic.

“Chansik forced me to come here. Anything for a friend.”

“Ah, I guess today is my lucky night then” Jaehwan smirks at Hongbin in between sips of his drink. “Cause you’re here. Honestly, I was thinking that Sandeul’s parties were getting too boring.”

“Well, that’s quite flattering and quite rude at the same time” Hongbin replies and raises a perfect brow. “Am I really the only interesting thing to you at this party?”

“Maybe?” Jaehwan moves closer to Hongbin. “It’ll be even better if we can make it more, interesting. You’re an interesting person, Lee Hongbin.”

“How much more interesting?” Hongbin says playfully, having not realized how close Jaehwan is to him right now. He feels hot, burning, being pressed so close to Jaehwan on the small couch in Sandeul’s apartment. But Jaehwan’s gaze is intense, dark, and Hongbin feels oh so drawn to him.

“You’re so interesting” Jaehwan’s finger traces the back of Hongbin’s neck and it sends shivers down Hongbin’s spine. “I’ve never chased someone the way I chase you. God, you drive me crazy.”

“Do I?” Hongbin smirks and Jaehwan audibly whimpers. “Maybe I like the way you chase me.”

“If it’s a chase that you want, it’s a chase you’ll get” and Jaehwan presses a kiss onto Hongbin’s jaw and leaves, throwing Hongbin a wink before he disappears into the crowd of people, leaving Hongbin wide-eyed, wondering what had just happened.

Hongbin reunites with Wonshik and Sanghyuk after he’s collected himself from his rather odd encounter with Jaehwan. Sanghyuk’s face is already red and slurring his words, Wonshik is well on his way too. So he decides to drag the two out of the party before he has to take care of two drunken men that are both larger than him. As he leaves, he spots Jaehwan one last time downing a shot with Sandeul, Seokjin and Baro at the kitchen area, Chansik tucked well by Sandeul’s side.

\---

“I want to die” Sanghyuk says as he emerges from Chansik’s bedroom the next morning. Wonshik had already left to go back to his own apartment an hour ago and Hongbin is already nestled on the couch with his millions of blankets and pillows and is catching up on the news.

“Good morning drunkard” Hongbin moves over to give Sanghyuk some room on the couch and the younger curls up next to him as he tries to supress his awful headache.

“How are you not hungover, hyung?” the younger asks, burying his head on Hongbin’s thigh and Hongbin winces from how sharp Sanghyuk’s head is poking into his thigh.

“I wasn’t even drunk last night. I told you I don’t get drunk easily.” Hongbin runs his hand through Sanghyuk’s damp hair, reliving the fact that this is his little Sanghyuk, the Sanghyuk he has considered to be his little brother, the Sanghyuk he had met in the coffee shop on Sanghyuk’s first shift and he had taught him all the ropes and ties of juggling university life and work life, hungover and draped all over him. He doesn’t mind the fact that Sanghyuk was a little heavy.

“Do I really have to go to work today hyung?” Sanghyuk groans into the blankets beneath him. Hongbin still stifling a giggle and playing with his hair.

“You can call in sick, but I don’t guarantee Hakyeon hyung won’t pester you about the party last night since you are everyone’s baby after all.” Sanghyuk gets out one last grunt before he drifts off to sleep again on Hongbin’s lap, letting his hair be played by the older and enjoying how soothing Hongbin’s fingers in his hair feels.

\---

“I heard from a little bird that our Sanghyukkie got a little too drunk yesterday?” Hakyeon is all over Sanghyuk when Hongbin arrives for his shift. He did warn the younger that he doesn’t guarantee Hakyeon not being nosey about Sanghyuk’s first college party—so he wasn’t at fault cause he did explicitly state so.

“Hey” Hongbin greets Wonshik who’s cleaning the counter tops while whistling a tune he’s never heard before. “New song you’re working on?”

“You got it.” Wonshik replies while finger-gunning at Hongbin. “I’ll give you a listen when I’m done with it. I have a good feeling about it.”

Hongbin goes to man the cashier. He hears Taekwoon behind him calling for Sanghyuk and Hakyeon to help him with freshly baked goods. Wonshik busy working on a new set of orders from a new customer. The shop is half full, a few new faces here and there and some regulars sitting at their favourite spots. But Jaehwan is nowhere to be seen.

“Hyung” Hongbin asks Hakyeon when he comes over to open the baked goods display. “Have you served Jaehwan hyung today?”

“I don’t think we have” Hakyeon replies. “He didn’t come in yesterday too which is weird since he knows we have peach cobblers on Mondays and he _loves_ our peach cobblers.”

“Ah, I see” Hongbin feels a little disappointed and sad. Why? Hasn’t Jaehwan just annoyed him all this time when he comes in? He should be glad that Jaehwan isn’t here to grossly hit on him and give him googly eyes whenever he walks pass Jaehwan to deliver a customer’s order.

“Why do you ask Hongbinnie?” Hakyeon raises a brow. “Why are you suddenly asking about Jaehwannie?”

“N-nothing!” Hongbin almost chokes at his own spit. “Nothing! I was just wondering cause he’s here almost every day, y’know. He’s one of our most loyal customers.”

Before Hakyeon can even reply to Hongbin, Sanghyuk was already barrelling over with a hot tray of apple Danish that he had been whining the tray was so hot he feels his hands burning so Hakyeon had to help Sanghyuk place the Danish in the display cabinet and Hongbin feels saved from a potentially awkward question. Cause Hakyeon just knows things. Of course. He’ll know in an instant if something is off.

Hongbin just plays it that Jaehwan is probably caught up with university work so he couldn’t come by or that he has to leave to go out of town for a family matter. It’s no big deal, he convinces himself and gets back to work before he gets scolded for day-dreaming.

\---

It’s officially five whole days since Jaehwan has been at the coffee shop and Hongbin is dejected, as said by Hakyeon and Wonshik.

“Oh my god you totally like him back” Wonshik says as he watches Hongbin zone out into the empty shop. “You actually _miss_ him being here. Oh my god.”

“Say oh my god one more time, Kim Wonshik.” Hongbin threatens him with a teaspoon to Wonshik’s throat. Wonshik only flicks the teaspoon back onto the floor. “And no, I don’t like him. What are you talking about?”

“Dude!” Wonshik slings an arm around Hongbin. “You totally got jealous when he was here with some girl—”

“Wait that’s not true!” Hongbin interrupts but Wonshik places his finger to Hongbin’s lip to shut him up.

“And then when you were sick, you got flustered when Jaehwan hyung asked about you and told you to take care of yourself more.”

“Why are you such a fact machine today?!” Hongbin tries to wrestle himself out of Wonshik’s hold but Wonshik strengthens his hold and ends up putting Hongbin in a headlock.

“And! You blushed when you told me he walked you home! Oh my god. You are so in love!” Wonshik proclaims out loud to the entire café. “Honestly, it’s about time you came to your senses. The man is _desperate_ for your love.”

“Why are you two goofing off?” Taekwoon’s stern voice sends chills down their spines and Wonshik lets go of Hongbin immediately. Hongbin scoffing a little because Wonshik’s headlock had ruined his hair and he honestly had put some effort into styling his hair today.

“H-hyung!” Wonshik turns around to face Taekwoon. “It’s Hongbinnie! He has a boyfriend!”

“No I don’t!” Hongbin punches Wonshik’s arm and Wonshik winces and exaggerates in pain. They continue to punch each other and blame each other for a while until Taekwoon just gives up and returns to the back to find Hakyeon.

\---

“Heard from a little bird that you missed me” Hongbin turns around to see Jaehwan leaning by the coffee shop window, arms crossed in front of him. He wants to ignore Jaehwan so bad and just get back to writing the menu on the chalkboard.

“As if I’d miss you” snarks Hongbin. “I’d rather die.”

“Baby” Jaehwan muses at him and grabs the chalk out of Hongbin’s hand and writes something on the board. “I love the way you make me chase you. But now, you’re also chasing after me, right?”

Jaehwan had written his number on the chalkboard for Hongbin and disappeared into the coffee shop. Hongbin blushes a worrying shade of red and shamefully takes a picture of the board with his phone before furiously erasing the writing (and his embarrassment) away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE LOL i hv honestly had no inspiration yet to continue this but AT LAST....i hope u all enjoy this hehe <3


	3. Chapter 3

He doesn’t know what to do with the fact that he now is in possession of Jaehwan’s phone number. Should he save it? Or should he delete the picture and just continue on with his life? He honestly wonders why he’s even _hesitating_ about deleting the picture of Jaehwan’s phone number when weeks ago he would’ve just wiped the chalkboard away without any. He wouldn’t even give into Jaehwan’s antics the way he does now.

“Who’s phone number you got there hyung?” Sanghyuk comes over after neatly putting away the tray. Hongbin quickly locks his phone and places it face down on the counter top.

“No one” He says flatly, monotone, perfectly trying to hide a crime. The younger raises a brow and gives him a suspicious look, showing no means of satisfaction from Hongbin’s answer.

“You’re lying” Sanghyuk moves closer to him, towering over the older and eyeing him like a hawk.

“It’s seriously no one’s phone number” Hongbin nervously backs away from how brooding Sanghyuk is being, getting all up in his personal space. The last thing he wants is for Hakyeon to see them and join in on interrogating him.

“I will get Hakyeon hyung in here” he threatens and Wonshik comes by at the perfect moment, whistling happily while carrying a tray of Taekwoon’s freshly baked fruit tarts. So Hongbin quickly thinks up of an alibi to get Sanghyuk to back off.

“It’s a phone number for Wonshikkie” he gulps, standing up straight and hands going to straighten his apron. “A customer wrote it down on the board for me to give to him, ah—” he yanks Wonshik by his sleeve to get his attention before he goes back into the kitchen. “Someone gave me their phone number to give to you.”

“Really?” Wonshik raises a brow at Hongbin. Hongbin isn’t sure what it exactly is, but he has become such good friends with Wonshik that even by just giving him a certain funny look, Wonshik will understand that he is in need of help—and help he shall. “Wow, who was it?”

“This gorgeous girl who happened to leave when you were still in the kitchen helping out Taekwoon hyung” Hongbin lies. Sanghyuk looks somewhat convinced. “Yeah, see she wrote it on the chalkboard outside while I was writing the menus because she didn’t see you.”

Hakyeon calls for Sanghyuk to be on cashier duty and Hongbin can finally breathe a breath of relief. Now its Wonshik turn to start with the interrogation.

“Whose number is that? Seriously” Wonshik turns to him. Hongbin can’t possibly lie to Wonshik, he would never especially when Wonshik is always so honest and open with him.

“Fine. But promise me you won’t make a big deal out of it” Hongbin says. “Its Jaehwan hyung’s number.” Wonshik lights up with glee.

“I am literally _so_ happy you are coming to your senses” Wonshik grabs Hongbin by his shoulders and shakes him back and forth. “Oh my god, what are you going to do? Are you going to text him? _Please_ text him!”

“Easy there tiger. What did I just say about not making a big deal out of it?” He says trying to get out of Wonshik’s hold. “I don’t even know if I want to save it.”  

“But you two kissed at the par—” Hongbin covers Wonshik’s mouth with his hands before he can even end that sentence, panicked, looking around for any signs of Sanghyuk or Hakyeon who would be intentionally eavesdropping on the two.

“ _How did you know about that?_ ” Hongbin hisses, still on the lookout for Sanghyuk and Hakyeon. Of all people who had seen him and Jaehwan on that couch at Sandeul’s party, it had to be drunk Wonshik. He’s glad Wonshik didn’t come sauntering over immediately and start hyping the two of them up and crying.

Wonshik looks confused because one, Hongbin isn’t denying the fact that he and Jaehwan had “kissed” at the party and two, Wonshik actually had the balls to confront Hongbin about something he saw while he was running on three cups of soju and beer.

“So it’s true? You two really kissed?” Wonshik asks again, this time in a quieter voice. Sanghyuk doesn’t seem to notice his two hyungs whispering suspiciously behind him—busy manning the customers and handing over orders to Hakyeon.

“We didn’t kiss, it’s more like, _he_ kissed me. He kissed my jaw to be exact” Hongbin explains, his face growing red as he remembers what happened between him and Jaehwan on the couch. “He told me that I was the only guy he’s ever chased like this before and I _might_ have told him I kind of liked him chasing me around?”

Wonshik looks dumbfounded, incredibly. “You like him”

“No, what, I do not” He retaliates Wonshik’s reply. “That doesn’t mean that I like him.”

“You do, oh my god” Wonshik keeps insisting his point. “I gotta get back to Taekwoon hyung now but _please_ , Jaehwan hyung is such a good match for you and promise me you won’t just delete his number.” 

\---

It’s later on in the night where Hongbin finds himself stuck in a moral dilemma. He has his phone opened in front of him, Jaehwan’s contact that he has regretfully saved and he doesn’t know what to do with it now. _Should he text Jaehwan?_ He thinks to himself. But that would honestly just prove Wonshik’s point correct and he _hates_ it when Wonshik is correct. He doesn’t think he likes Jaehwan? Does telling the guy that he likes being chased imply that he did in fact hold any sort of romantic attraction towards the guy?

Chansik comes through the door the moment Hongbin thinks of hovering over the message option and it startles him enough to back out and return to the home screen.

“I’m back—” Chansik greets and spots Hongbin on the couch and hovering over his phone on the coffee table. “Oh, you’re still up.”

“How are you just getting back? You finished classes hours ago” Hongbin says. Chansik makes himself comfortable beside Hongbin, hogging all of the pillows to himself and Hongbin sort of figures he was out on a date with Sandeul from the little smile he has on his face after he questions him. “Actually, I sort of need your opinion on something.”

Chansik only raises a brow and hums in reply to Hongbin, indicating that he heard Hongbin and gestures him to continue.

“Uh, you know Jaehwan hyung right?” Hongbin starts. This finally gets Chansik to turn his body around and face Hongbin.

“Oh my god don’t tell me” Chansik exclaims happily as he grabs Hongbin by his shoulders. “You’ve finally—”

“No” Hongbin swats Chansik’s hands off of him. “This is why you don’t interrupt me. You’re no better than Wonshik” Chansik stays still and playfully zips his mouth for Hongbin to continue. “Anyway he, at the party—”

“You two kissed at the party!” Chansik splurts out again and this time he gets a pillow to his face and any further protests were muffled by the pillow. “I’ve been holding this in for so long finally we are discussing it!”

“Seriously? First Wonshik and now you, exactly how many people are aware of this” Hongbin sighs in defeat, now he’s the one who wants to scream into the pillow from how frustrated he is.

“You’re not denying it?” Chansik tilts his head in confusion. Hongbin almost always denies everything when it comes to Jaehwan.

“Not exactly” says Hongbin again. “We kissed but, like, _he_ kissed me on my jaw to be exact. And I sort of said something to him and—I don’t know I’m just all sorts of confused right now.”

“What did you say to him?” Chansik tilts his head even more, curiosity is going to snap his neck soon.

“He told me that he’s never chased someone like me before and I might have said that I liked him chasing me? Does that imply that I like him or—am I? I don’t know anymore.”

Chansik is so proud of his friend, honestly. There was a period in their friendship where Hongbin outwardly was the bitterest person on earth when it came to relationships and dating. And the fact that Chansik is currently being sat down by Hongbin on their couch and he’s asking Chansik on whether or not he likes someone, that’s some development right there.

He only places a hand on Hongbin’s shoulder and squeezes it. Hongbin being confused on his raging crush on Jaehwan is cute.

“I hate to break it to you” Chansik says and his words and tone sounds like he’s about to break up with Hongbin instead. “But you, my dearest friend, you have a crush.”

Hongbin only blinks, big doe eyes looking at Chansik and unable to mutter a single word back. So many deliberations are going on in his mind at the same time and he considers the most likely to the least likely scenarios. Does he actually have a crush on Jaehwan? Hasn’t he always been annoyed at the guy for always hitting on him? Is Chansik just lying to him and forcing his weird theories onto him again? Why can’t Jaehwan just give up on him the same way every other person has after Hongbin rejects them three times?

Wonshik also, like Chansik and also Hakyeon on several occasions, have suggested him to just give Jaehwan a shot since he _is_ a nice guy and is desperate for Hongbin’s attention, says Wonshik and Hakyeon and Sanghyuk nowadays seems to get roped into having longer conversations with Jaehwan whenever he delivers his order to him. But Hongbin realizes that this is Wonshik and Sanghyuk, two guys who are the embodiment of a walking ray of sunshine with the innocence and purity of a child and Hakyeon is a social butterfly who can make small talk with literally anyone (a trait he’s always admired the older for).

“I think you should text the guy” Chansik offers him one last piece of advice before snatching the remote and changing the TV channel and letting Hongbin drown in his own romantic dilemma. Hongbin’s phone is still on the table and he unlocks it only to have his own finger freezing as he hovers over the message button. What is he even going to say to Jaehwan? God, this really makes it seem like Hongbin has been thinking about Jaehwan all day long. It’s probably what Jaehwan _wants_ —Hongbin who has come over his senses and finally accepts his love.

 _Hey it’s Hongbin_ he sends the message to Jaehwan and then immediately locks it and places it face down on the coffee table again. Chansik only smirks when Hongbin shoots a glare at him. “Not a word about this” says Hongbin before getting up to go to the kitchen and get a glass of water to drink his regret and anxiousness away.

\---

 _You texted me after all_ Jaehwan’s reply was immediate but Hongbin doesn’t reply till the next morning when Wonshik, out of all people, catches him playing on his phone in the back room. Hongbin arrived for his shift later than usual and takes his time to fiddle around on his phone and doesn’t notice Wonshik arriving and catching a glimpse of his phone screen. Even in Jaehwan’s text message he can hear how flirty and borderline cocky he sounds—so sure that Hongbin would text him after leaving him his phone number on the blackboard.

“Oh my god you texted him” Wonshik gasps with glee, covering his mouth with both hands and Hongbin turns around so quickly his back lets out a small crack and he winces. “See Hongbin—” Wonshik grabs Hongbin’s phone out of his hand quickly while the younger is still writhing and straightening his back. “Why haven’t you replied?”

“I don’t know how to reply to that” Hongbin truthfully confesses. He doesn’t want to be the one who starts the conversation with Jaehwan—asking him what he’s doing or what his favourite colour is. It’ll seem like Hongbin is so interested in Jaehwan’s life when in reality, he might be just a little.

Before Wonshik can mutter a word, Hongbin’s phone vibrates in Wonshik’s hand and another text message comes in from Jaehwan. _Can’t wait to see you beautiful ;)_

Hongbin groans and Wonshik blushes so badly even though he’s not the recipient of the message. He snatches the phone out of Wonshik’s hand and shoves it into his pocket and ushers both himself and Wonshik out of the back room to start their shifts before Hakyeon finds them and drags them out himself.

\---

The first face that Hongbin sees when he finally comes out of the back room is Jaehwan’s. He’s currently being served by Sanghyuk and he catches Hongbin emerging from the doorway and smiles softly, eyes turning into little moons. He takes the change out of Sanghyuk’s hand and goes to sit at his usual seat, facing Hongbin and the counters, he suddenly feels flustered and very watched. Hongbin should be used to this, Jaehwan had always just sat there and ogled at him as he makes the corniest pick-up lines to Hongbin when he delivers him his coffee, but he doesn’t know why now being under Jaehwan’s gaze makes him feel so flustered.

“Hyung—” Sanghyuk retracts his hand quickly and blows on where Hongbin had accidentally spilled hot milk on. “Watch the milk while you’re frothing it.”

“Ah Hyukkie I’m sorry” he apologizes and Sanghyuk continues on to work at the station beside him. Hongbin tries to catch quick glances of where Jaehwan is sitting, so aware that he’s just there and has his eyes trained on Hongbin.

When Hongbin does look up from behind the coffee machine, Jaehwan is looking out the window, his chin perfectly rested on his hands. He wasn’t admiring, he really wasn’t. Jaehwan’s nose, his entire side profile, Hongbin had never realized just how sharp and beautifully chiselled all of Jaehwan’s facial features are. His features are striking—the same as his personality; bold confidence with a natural cuteness that never fails to make everyone in the coffee shop fall for his charms. It’s definitely gotten Hakyeon to give him free peach cobblers before. There’s something about the way the entire image of Jaehwan right now, sitting at the coffee shop and looking out the window that makes Hongbin not be able to look away. And Hongbin starts to notice even the tiniest things about Jaehwan he never seemed to take notice of before. Like when Jaehwan’s hand goes to run through his brown locks, he notices all of the different rings that fit perfectly on his fingers and the slight tinge of blond in his hair when it’s directly hit by the sunlight.

Hongbin’s eyes linger for a little too long and Jaehwan catches him when he turns his head towards the counter, eyes locking at the younger and Hongbin feels red growing high on his cheeks and gets back to work—anything, literally anything would subdue to make Hongbin feel like he isn’t about to melt into the floor right now.

Jaehwan only scoffs and unlocks his phone.

 _Hope you saw something you liked, Hongbinnie_ and presses send. Jaehwan watches for a while as Hongbin pats his pocket to reach for his phone and fishes it out. Wonshik is eyeing Hongbin suspiciously as his entire face goes red as he reads Jaehwan’s message, caught staring at Jaehwan red-handed.

\---

 _You’re so annoying_ Hongbin’s reply comes hours later when Jaehwan is stuck in a boring afternoon class and Sandeul has the nerve to not even show up even after he promised Seokjin and Jaehwan that he wouldn’t skip Professor Son’s classes anymore—no matter how boring it is. Jaehwan smiles to himself, imagining exactly how Hongbin would say that to him in that snarky tone of his that Jaehwan can’t get enough of.

 _For you, only for you Hongbinnie_ Jaehwan types in his reply quickly, not forgetting to add an emoji at the end of his message to ensure extra cheekiness that will only make sassy Hongbin even sassier at him.

 _Yeah well, go be annoying to someone else_ replies the younger. Jaehwan’s all smiles when he gets another reply from Hongbin and he thinks of teasing Hongbin even more now just to get these sort of reactions from him.

_Aw, if I do that, you’ll miss me~like that time you thought I had a girlfriend ;)_

“Who are you texting?” Seokjin who’s sitting beside him asks him, obviously Jaehwan being all giggly and smiley disrupting him from listening to Professor Son’s explanation on macro economy.

“The cutest and snarkiest barista in town” replies Jaehwan, flashing a smile to Seokjin. Seokjin only laughs and rolls his eyes as he gets back into the lecture, shaking his head a little at an obviously smitten Jaehwan beside him.

_As if! I never thought you had a girlfriend you’re too lame to have one. That was all Wonshik and Sanghyuk’s speculation._

Jaehwan doesn’t know how many times he’s been shot down by Hongbin. Truthfully, he’s even lost count. He had always thought Hongbin was good looking, ridiculously and drop dead gorgeous in fact. He had stumbled into the coffee shop one morning when he was walking around the streets of Seoul like a zombie from pulling an all-nighter and he wasn’t sure whether it was the coffee or the sight of Hongbin that immediately made him feel energized.

Hongbin had been laughing wildly at an antic pulled by Sanghyuk on their manager, Taekwoon and Jaehwan was stunned, Hongbin didn’t notice Jaehwan standing in front of the cashier at first. And when he finally calmed down from his initial laughter, Jaehwan was further blown away at how deep Hongbin’s voice was as he greeted Jaehwan and asked for his order.

Since then Jaehwan had come to the coffee shop every day, learning that Hongbin is one of his underclassmen at the university, along with the two other employees Wonshik and Sanghyuk and the more Jaehwan came to the shop, the bolder he became, the braver he became when he tells Hongbin how beautiful he is, how he’d like to take Hongbin out on a date. He tries to never let it bother him as much when Hongbin says no and sooner than later it turns into a banter between them. Jaehwan would cheesily ask Hongbin out with an outrageous pick-up line and Hongbin would hiss a threat between gritted teeth at him to knock it out—that was their routine, no matter how much Jaehwan tries to hide how much he really likes Hongbin and plays it off as a joke.

He braves himself, one last time, maybe today will be the day—that’s what he always tells himself, and he sends the message to Hongbin. _Do you want to go on a date with me?_

What catches him off guard and makes his heart skip a beat is when Hongbin says yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here i am.. with another upadate...hehe i havent had the time to write or update this but here it is!!!!!! i hope yall enjoy this nonsense
> 
> again!!! kudos n comments r always appreciated <3

**Author's Note:**

> find me on twit @kongniverse !!


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